In honor of April Fools’ Day, we’ve rounded up some bizarre stories that made Nashvillians do a double take.
Let’s start with a downtown discovery that baffled archeologists. During the summer of 1971, construction activity on Deaderick Street led to the unearthing of saber-toothed tiger remains. Make no bones about it, this particular cat known as a Smilodon had never been reported in Tennessee. In case you didn’t know, this is how the Nashville Predators got their name.
Fast forward to the late 1990s, a simpler time when the buzz around town was a Bongo Java cinnamon bun that bore a striking resemblance to Mother Teresa. The “Nun Bun” made international headlines — even catching the attention of Mother Teresa herself — and lived in a glass case until it was stolen from the cafe on Christmas Eve in 2005. Talk about a heist. To this day, there’s a $5,000 reward for its safe return.
Another story that threw us all for a loop was a hamburger crop circle that popped up near the Opryland area in 2018. Turns out, it was a marketing stunt for Hardee’s, but we’re sure it left some airport travelers curious — and hungry.
Oh, and we can’t forget the time a coyote wandered into a Music City Center bathroom. The critter was later released into the wild, but its brief time in the limelight inspired Nashville SC’s mascot, Tempo the Coyote.
Finally, we need to talk about a local sports tradition that’s a bit… well, fishy. Nashville Predators fans have been known to throw catfish onto the ice at home games. The Tennessean first reported on this slimy tradition in 2003, but there are accounts of catfish tossing dating back to 1999.
Keep it weird, Nashville.
